INSIGNIAS: THE ABECEDARIANS
CHAPTER XIII: SKHY

Skhy stared at the ceiling of the cosy treehouse. Moonlight illuminated the room. His two hands found comfort behind his head while the green blanket draped over his lower body. He could feel the cold night wind entered through the opened window but he closed the one in front of Lei Quinn’s room. His body was already used to the blowing wind that he did not mind the temperature. Honestly, he only hated warm climate.

Lei left an hour ago but his mind was too occupied to rest. Her green blue green eyes widen as she read the contents of the paper earlier. Her face paled as her mouth hanged open. He tried to explain but the fear in her eyes stopped him.

“This is not true. Tell me,” she whisper shouted. He could only stare at her.

“I can’t,” she whispered before she stood up and left him. He understood her fears and doubts. A girl who never met her family before they died had the right to feel that way. In addition, she had never taken a step inside the Academy. She longed to experience being with people like her. She must have felt that he tried to rob her of the chance to live. He closed his eyes for a moment to ease the growing head ache.

He now had another problem in his hands. He needed to convince her to come, but how?

Another thought came into his mind. Skhy dreaded the same expression when he replaces the rest of the Regalis. After seeing Lei’s reaction, Skhy doubted they will come willingly.

But he had no time to lose, the lives of the Concordians, or those who were in their side, were at stake. Dammit. This is harder than what I imagined.

Until the moment before he lost consciousness, he kept thinking of how to persuade Lei.

A deafening explosion followed by a temblor woke him from his deep sleep. He blinked several times to adjust his eyes to a burning light outside. But it did not come from the sun or the moon. Skhy’s eyes widen as huge fire swallowed the forest and spread towards the town. He felt nauseous.

He bolted from the bed, ran outside barefoot through the small wooden bridge and banged on Lei’s door.

“Lei! Are you there?” he shouted. His heartbeat sounded like drumroll in his ears. His breathe uneven. Cold sweat rolled down his forehead.

We’re under attack. Ashley was fast.

“Lei!” he kept on shouting and banging on the door when no one answered. She must have heard the racket outside. What if she was out there?

He stopped hitting the door and looked towards the blazing forest. Black smoke rose and trees turned to ash. He smelled the burning charcoal and felt the radiating heat. He could hear the scream of a thousand voices. For the first time in his life, he wanted to crawl in a small box and not to take a step outside ever again.

As his fear grew, his hatred grew with it. Many lives were taken away by the Mortemians. Many sacrificed to attain peace but the balance was broken a long time ago. Along with the Seven Regalis, he must save and protect their people.

He ran and jumped down the porch. I must alert the townspeople.

He landed on his feet when he saw shadows walking towards him. Mortemians? But their powers were strange. He could not sense if they were Concordians or Mortemians.

Skhy observed them as they neared him. He counted seven people. One person was carrying a large bag.

“Who are you? Where is Lei?” he shouted but no one answered him. His eyes widen as they stopped a feet in front of him. They wore black hooded capes. Shadow hid their faces but he felt the strong energy radiating from their bodies.

“No one will help you, Skhy Wright,” a spine-chilling voice whispered. The bag was thrown near his feet. Pain and sadness were evident in Lei’s green orbs as they stared back at him, unblinking. Her mouth hanged open. Bruises on her arms turned purple. Her dark hair fanned her pale unmoving face.

No. His rage escalated as he felt his eyes burned.

Before he had the time to react, his sight darkened until the shadow swallowed him.

He woke up with a start. He gasped for air as eyes starting from their sockets. His left hand fist the shirt near his chest. A dream.

No. A nightmare.

He wiped the sweat forming on his forehead. His hair and shirt were also wet from sweat. He released a heavy breath, as he wiped his face with a hand. He rubbed his eyes, checking if he was not dreaming anymore.

He looked outside the window and found the sky had turned a shade of blue and orange. Birds sang from a distance. The town looked packed with cars and people walking in every direction. The emerald green trees soothe him. It was very different from his dream of blazing forest. What did my dream mean?

Before he remembered the horrifying scene in his head, someone knocked on his door. His thoughts landed on Lei’s face and he sucked his breath. Panic seeped through as her dead face haunted his memory. He immediately threw the blanket off of him and ran towards the door. He swung it open and his wide eyes looked down at startled green orbs.

“Are you ok, dear?” Mrs. Emmy frowned at him. He closed his eyes for second and breathed out. He gave her a small smile as he opened his heavy eyes. He did not want her to worry.

“I’m okay, Mrs. Emmy, just a bad dream...” His voice trailed as he uttered the word ‘dream’. He hoped Mrs. Emmy won’t notice the hesitance in his voice.

“Okay, let’s have breakfast,” she chirped. She gave him a wide smile and turned. He sighed, relieved, and closed the door. If Mrs. Emmy is fine, so is Lei. He grabbed his bag to pick an outfit before he showered.

After a long cold bath, he put on his shoes. He had been thinking on how to approach Lei about coming with him. She kept quiet most of the time but she was quite stubborn when she wanted to. He needed to convince her.

After tying his shoes, he went out of the tree house and entered Lei’s room. He looked around but saw her bag missing. So she is running away. He exited her room and walked down the stairs. He then heard Mrs. Emmy humming with the song on the radio.

He turned towards the kitchen when a body collided with his. He looked down to found Lei’s light green orbs glaring at him as she rubbed her forehead. She wore a peach off shoulder sundress that fall inches below her knees and a flat sandals. She was very different from the girl he met yesterday.

“Excuse me,” she said as she walked by him. He followed her movements as she picked a broom in the living room.

“Your bag is missing,” he pointed out as she walked towards the kitchen.

“Closet,” she replied with a bored tone. When he followed her inside the kitchen, he saw Mrs. Emmy frying eggs and Lei pouring water in the glasses.

“Come seat, dear.” Mrs. Emmy gestured at the table and smiled sweetly at him.

“Thank you, Mrs. Emmy.” He returned the smile and sat in front of Lei, who obviously ignored his presence.

I wonder if Mrs. Emmy talked to her.

Mrs. Emmy returned to the table with a plate of fried eggs and bacon while Lei silently made sandwiches. A hot cocoa was placed on his side of the table. He observed her as she finished putting spread on the bread and gave it to him without taking her eyes off her plate.

“Eat, dear,” Mrs. Emmy said as he accepted the sandwich. Lei silently sipped her drink and ate.

This is going to be a long day.

“Skhy let’s take a walk later.” Her half smile told him she wanted to talk about his mission. He did not mind. Right now, he did not have the luxury to stay even if he wanted to. The other six were out there and who knew what happened to them by now.

“Of course, Mrs. Emmy.” He looked at Lei for a reaction but she just continued eating her bacon.

Whether she liked it or not, the lives of the Concordians rested on her hands. Like the rest of the Seven.